School furniture.



Patented Aug. |,-|899. W. H. METTING.

SCHOOL FURNITURE.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1899.) (No Model) H I ll HHIHH" "Humn I W/T/VESSES.

//V VENTOP 5X hut/14W A TTORNE VS.

Lil

UNTTTD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILIIELM H. METTING, OF TRENTON, NEX V JERSEY.

SCHOOL FURNITURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,253, dated August 1, 1899. Application filed February 15, 1899. Serial No. 705,588. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM H. METTING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in School Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in that class of seats, 850., for school use which have slats or other wooden parts attached to iron standards or framework by means of dovetail grooves and ribs.

It is the object of my invention to provide a superior lock for such grooves and ribs, whereby the latter may be held more securely and may be constructed upon curved lines corresponding to any desired cu rvatu re of the wooden surface.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end viewof the curved back of a school-seat. Fig. 2 is a rear face view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the spring locking-rot. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the metal locking parts detached and separated.

The slat or other wooden portion 1 is provided with a dovetail groove in the back.

The iron standard or framework 2 has a parallel-sided rib 3, which is inclined laterally at a small angle to the base-flanges 4, the inclination being the same as either side of the dovetail groove in part 1. The inner side of said rib has a semicircular lengthwise groove 5. (See Fig. 5.)

6 indicates a detachable or loose rib having in cross-section the form of atruncated isosceles triangle. One of its inclined sides has a lengthwise semicircular groove 7, corresponding to the one 5 in the standard-rib 3.

8 indicates an elastic or spring rod employed for locking the ribs 3 and 6 tightly in the dovetail groove. It will be seen that when the two ribs are arranged side by side in the groove in Fig. 4. theypractically fill the same. The rod 8 is made slightly larger than the hole formed by the coincident grooves 5 and 7, and hence when forced into the same it spreads the ribs 3 6 apart to a corresponding degree, so that they are held immovably in the groove in part 1.

The manner of securing the wooden part 1 and standards 2 together, as shown, consists in first placing the loose triangular rib 6 in the groove. Then the standard-rib 3 is entered alongside the same, which is permitted by the form of said rib The springrod 8 is then forced into the hole formed by the grooves 5 7 in the ribs 3 6 and spreads the latter, so that the Wooden part 1 is firmly locked to the iron framework 2.

My invention is particularly applicable to surfaces formed on curved lines-that is to say, the backs and seats of school-benches are generally curved transversely, and the iron ribs require to be constructed With a corresponding curvature, as shown in Fig. 1. To adaptit for locking such ribs together, the rod 8 is made elastic, so that it may easily follow the curve of the ribs when introduced into the hole formed by the grooves, as above described.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination, with the Wooden part of a school desk or bench, having a dovetail groove, of a loose or detachable rib having in cross-section the form of a truncated isosceles triangle, an iron standard having a rib which is inclined laterally as shown and constructed with parallel sides, both the ribs having c0= incident grooves in their inner sides, and the locking-rod constructed of elastic or spring material, and adapted to fit tightly between the ribs, as shown and described.

2. The combination with the Wooden part having a curved surface and a dovetail groove formed therein, of the loose or detachable rib having the form of a truncated isosceles triangle, the iron standard having a laterallyinclined rib whose sides are parallel, both ribs being curved like the Wooden part and grooved in their inner sides, and the elastic locking-rod, made slightly larger than the hole formed by such grooves, as and for the purpose specified.

WILH. H. METTING.

Witnesses:

HENRY PETRY, JACOB Rnorrnn. 

